Summer eating is windows open, herbs from your windowsill, barefoot outdoors, eating with your hands and long and lazy feel-good feasts. As much as possible, meals shouldn't need much cooking at all or can prepped well ahead so you just throw things together last minute, ideal for summer nights when friends drop in late after one last drink at the pub! I'm a recovering perfectionist (anyone else!?) so for me, having people over needs to be fuss free, hard to mess up and a pleasurable experience (with not too much washing up at the end) and the recipes need to be flexible and stretch-able if there's suddenly an extra friend to feed.

Here are my three faves that will take you from a fun brunch through to a late-night chocolate treat. Even better? They all take 30 minutes or less.

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Chickpea Tacos With Jalapeño Salsa

Chickpea flour pancakes are vegan, simple and completely adaptable. Flip them like regular pancakes as friends arrive and put out lots of toppings for everyone to help themselves - avocado, this ridiculously delicious vibrant jalapeno salsa, some smoky beans, smoked salmon and fried or scrambled eggs (scrambled is easier for a big group).

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2.) Heat a wide frying pan to high, add half the butter, the smoked paprika and tomato purée and fry over a medium heat for 1 minute before stirring in the beans. Heat through for 2–3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste and divide among the chickpea wraps. Lay the sliced avocado on top.

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3.) Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper and melt the remaining butter. When the butter has melted, crack in the eggs and cook over a medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes until the whites are becoming crisp around the edges but the yolks are still runny. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add an egg to each of the wraps and drizzle over the salsa. Serve sprinkled with the fresh coriander and chilli.

✱ Use It Up: You can use any type of beans, tinned or cooked.

BLT Salad

This is a classic sandwich filler brought to life as a lovely big satisfying salad - add asparagus or green beans, avocado, hard boiled eggs (I like to cook up a saucepan full early in the week for "running out the door breakfast snacks" or to top any salad). This makes a fantastic packed lunch, picnic salad or to serve as a big platter as part of a BBQ lunch. Save your jam jars (or your almond butter jars!) and fill them with a dressing so you've always got a great dressing on hand for fast salads.

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3.) Place the bacon rashers and asparagus spears on the lined baking tray and either grill for 6–8 minutes (turning halfway) or roast in the oven for 10 minutes.

4.) Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan with boiling water and cook the eggs on a medium simmer for 6½ minutes. Remove from the pan and leave to cool in cold or iced water before peeling and cutting in half.

5.) Place the lettuce leaves, tomatoes and avocado in a large serving bowl, drizzle over half the dressing and gently toss. Roughly chop up the cooked bacon and scatter over, along with the hot asparagus and egg halves, then drizzle over the rest of the dressing to serve.

✱ Use It Up: Use any salad leaf, and add in that bit of leftover cucumber or celery for extra crunch.

Little Chocolate Pots

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This was voted the best recipe in Eat Happy. It's 5 ingredients, takes 5 mins to make, then leave it to set in the fridge while you enjoy your dinner. Top with whatever you like - grated dark chocolate, an extra sprinkle of sea salt, some honeycomb, raspberries, cherries or strawberries. Make with any milk, and serve in beautiful glasses or espresso mugs.

Serves 4

TipIf using coconut milk, you’ll need the full-fat kind, which tends to separate in the tin, so pour it out, give it a stir and measure out 180ml for this dish, then use the rest in soups or smoothies.

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1.) Gently heat the milk in a saucepan for about 45 seconds until hot all the way through.

2.) Place 120g of the chocolate in a high-powered blender or food processor with the maple syrup, egg and vanilla extract.

3.) Very carefully pour a quarter of the hot milk into the blender or food processor (or use a ladle, if you prefer) and blend until smooth, then repeat, adding a quarter of the milk at a time, until all the milk is combined and the mixture is silky smooth. (You need to add the hot milk slowly so that it doesn’t scramble the egg.)

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4.) Pour into four small ramekins or glasses and leave in the fridge for a minimum of 1½ hours, or 1 hour in the freezer, to set.

5.) When you’re ready to serve, grate over the remaining chocolate or top with a sprinkling of sea salt flakes, a few fresh raspberries or cherries.